Coin apparatus



J. T. SCHULLER Nov. 10, 1964 COIN APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1962 m?) M 7M Nov. 10, 1964 Filed March 12, 1962 J. T. SCHULLER 3,156,247

. com APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ll:

United States Patent 3,156,247 COIN APPARATUS James T. Schnller, St. Ann, Mm, assignor, by inesne assignments, to Universal Match Corporation, Ferguson, Mo, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 179,134 4 Claims. (Cl. 133--5} This invention relates to coin handling, and more particularly to change makers, particularly for use in vending machines, of the type in which a stack of coins is maintained in a coin magazine, and the lowermost coin of the stack is ejected from the magazine by a slide adapted to push the lowermost coin out of the magazine, the slide moving under the stack as the lowermost coin is pushed out, and then returning to allow the stack to drop.

In a typical change maker of the class described, the magazine has a lateral coin outlet at its lower end which has a height somewhat greater than the thickness of one coin, but less than twice the height of a coin, so that only one coin is ejected at a time. If the lowermost coin should happen to be a bent coin with an overall or projected thickness greater than the height of the coin outlet, jamming may occur, since the projected thickness of the coin is too great for the coin to pass through the outlet. Jamming may also occur due to dropping of foreign objects such as nuts or washers into the magazine, as sometimes occurs in servicing the vending machine in which the change maker is used, when such foreign objects are too thick to be ejected. Additionally, jamming may also occur, for example, in the case of a changer handling U.S. nickels when a dime is inadvertently introduced into the nickel magazine of the changer. Under such circumstances, when the dime reaches the bottom of the magazine the ejector pushes the nickel immediately above the dime toward the outlet, and with the combined thickness of the nickel and dime greater than the height of the outlet, the changer jams.

Accordingly, among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a change maker such as described with an anti-jam feature, adapted to allow for ejection without jamming of an abnormal object (such as a bent coin, a nut, a washer or the like) of greater height than the normal outlet height, and without interfering with proper ejection of fiat coins; and the provision of a change maker with such a device which is economical to manufacture and reliable in operation. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a change maker constructed in accordance with this invention, a coin tube thereof being removed;

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1, showing the coin tube;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing a stack of coins with the lowermost coin a normal coin;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing an abnormal object as the lowermost object of the stack, and showing a moved position of parts asoccurs on ejection of such an abnormal object; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing another moved position of parts such as may occur on ejection of an abnormal object.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a change maker constructed in accordance with this invention is shown to comprise a main base 1, constituted by-a sheet metal part of channel shape in section, having a flat web or bottom 3 and upwardly extending side flanges 5. Toward one end of the base (which may be referred to as its forward end) the bottom 5 has an opening 7 (see FIGS. 1 and 4-6). This opening is somewhat wider than coins C (such as US. nickels) to be handled, and has an arcuate forward end 9 (see PEG. 1).

Mounted on bottom 5 of the base toward its forward end is a pad or guide 11 for an ejector slide 13. This has an opening 15 generally of the same shape as opening 7 in bottom 5, and is secured on the bottom with opening 25 generally in register with opening 7. Guide 11 has a shallow guide groove or channel 17 in the top extending rearward from opening 15 to the rearward end of the guide. This groove 17 has a width corresponding to the width of openings 15 and 7.

Mounted on top of guide 11 is a coin tube mount 19 constituted by a casting formed to provide a flat-bottomed rectangular base 21 and a co n tube socket 23 extending upward from the base. Base 21 confines slide 13 in groove 17. Socket 23 has a cylindric bore 25 having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the coins to be handled, and a counterbore 2'7 at the upper end of bore 25. A coin tube 29 (see FIG. 2) seats in the counterbore, its lower end engaging the shoulder 31 at the lower end of the counterbore. The coin tube is omitted in FIGS. 1 and 3-6. The base 21 has a bottom recess 33 corresponding generally in shape to the shape of openings 15 and 7 and registering with the latter, this recess extending forward from the lower end of bore 25.

Socket 23 has a vertical slot 35 at the forward side thereof extending up from recess 33 and base 21 has a slot 37 at its top extending forward from the lower end of slot 35. The top surface 39 of recess 33 is spaced above the bottom surface of base Zl (and hence above the bottom of groove 17) a distance greater than the normal thickness of a normal flat coin C to be handled, but

slightly less than twice the thickness of such a coin (see FIG. 4).

The ejector slide 13 comprises a flat sheet metal strip having a width slightlyless than the width of groove 17 and a thickness slightly less than the height of groove 17 for a sliding fit in this groove. At its rearward end, slide 13 has laterally extending ears 41 carrying studs 43 slidable in longitudinal slots 45 in main base 1. These studs carry anti-friction washers 47 between the slide and base 1 and anti-friction washers 49 below base 1. Washers 47 act as spacers between the rearward end of the slide and base 1.

The slide has a concave recess 51 at its forward end shaped to engage a coin for pushing the coin forward.

It is movable from the rearward retracted position of' FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, determined by engagement of studs 43 with the rearward ends of slots 45, to a forward position determined by its engagement with the forward ends of slots 45. Any suitable means such as indicated at 53 may be connected to the rearward end of the slide for reciprocating it from its retracted to its forward position and back to retracted position.

Socket 23 and tube 29 together constitute a magazine M for holding a stack of coins C stacked flatwise one on top of another, the socket constituting the lower part of the magazine. The coin tube mount 19 comprising base 21 and socket 23 is so formed and so mounted on top of guide 11 that the forward side of the lower end of the magazine is somewhat forward of the rearward end of openings 15 and 7. When slide 13 is in its retracted posi- 3 tion, the forward end of the slide (having recess 51 therein) is located rearward of the lower end of the magazine, and the stack of coins C rests on the bottom of groove 17, with the lowermost coin of the stack in the path of the slide.

Mounted on magazine base 2?. forward of socket 23 is a sheet metal support 55. This is formed to have a base 57 which is secured on top of base 21 of casting 19 at its forward end, and arms 59 which extend upward and rearward on opposite sides of the socket 23. Pivoted as indicated at 61 at the ends of arms 59 is a carrier 63 for a coin blocking member 65, which is in turn pivoted on the carrier at 67. The carrier comprises a yoke formed of sheet metal, having a web portion 69 and downwardly extending sides 71. The latter have outwardly angled extensions 73 which are pivoted at their rearward ends at 61 on arms 59 of support 55 in such manner that the carrier or yoke 63 is pivoted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to magazine M. The carrier or yoke extends forward from this horizontal axis. The pivotal connection at 67 is constituted by a pin spanning sides 71 at the forward end of yoke 63. The coin blocking member 65 is constituted by one arm of a bell crank lever having a hub 75 on pin 67 and an upwardly extending arm 77 in addition to arm 65, with a downwardly extending finger or coin abutment 81 at the rearward end of arm 65 (which extends rearward from pivotal connection 67).

The yoke 63 is biased by a pair of relatively strong coil tension springs 83 connected between support 55 and the ends of pin 67 to swing downward to the lowered retracted position in which it appears in FIGS. 2-4 determined by engagement of the forward ends of its sides 71 with base 57 of support 55. Coin blocking arm 65 is biased by a relatively weak coil tension spring 85 connected between yoke 63 and the upper end of arm 77 to swing downward relative to the yoke to the retracted position relative to the yoke in which it appears in FIGS. 2 and 4, determined by its engagement with a stop 86 at the forward end of Web 69 of the yoke 63. With the yoke 63 and the coin blocking arm 65 in their retracted position of FIGS. 2-4, finger 81 is positioned in the vertical slot 35 at the forward side of socket 23 and extends downward therein with its lower edge 87 located above the level of the bottom of channel 17 to define a lateral coin outlet (see FIG. 3). With the yoke 63 and arm 65 in their FIG. 4 retracted position, finger 81 defines a normal height for outlet 0 greater than the thickness of a flat coin C, but less than twice the thickness of a fiat coin. In FIG. 4, the lowermost object of the stack is shown as a normal flat coin. In FIGS. and 6, the lowermost object X of the stack is shown as an abnormal object, of overall thickness greater than the thickness of a flat coin. The object illustrated at X in FIGS. 5 and 6 is representative of a bent coin, a nut, a washer, a nickel on top of the dime, etc. It is of greater height than the normal outlet height.

Operation is as follows:

With a flat coin C, having a thickness less than the height of outlet 0, as the lowermost coin in the stack (see FIG. 4) ejection occurs in normal manner on forward movement of slide 13 from its retracted position of FIG. 4, the slide pushing the coin forward oif coin surface of channel 17 under the lower edge 37 of finger 81. Pinger 81 holds back the second coin, which would otherwise tend to slide out with the lowermost coin. The ejected coin drops out through the openings and 7, as illustrated in dot-dash lines in FIG. 4. The slide moves forward under the stack and holds it up during ejection. Then, on return of the slide to retracted position, the stack drops down in readiness for the next operation.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the operation on ejection of an abnormal object X, such as a bent coin, a nut, a washer, etc., of thickness or height greater than the normal height of outlet. As the slide 13 moves forward, it pushes object X forward and the latter engages the finger 81. On continuing forward movement of the slide and object X, and with object X engaging finger 81 of the coin blocking member as, the latter swings forward and upward away from its retracted position with the pivoted carrier 63 against the return bias of springs 83. This action occurs by pivoting of carrier 63 on its pivots 61 in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5, carrying the connection at 67 between member and the carrier forward and upward away from retracted position. During this phase of the operation, arm 77 on member 65 remains in engagement with the stop 86 on carrier 63 under the bias of spring 85. Ultimately, ember 65 reaches a position wherein the lower edge 37 of finger S1 clears object X. FIG. 5 shows member 65 about to reach this position. As soon as edge 87 clears object X, springs 83 snap the carrier 63 back to retracted position (see FIG. 6). The lower edge 37 of finger 81 may then ride back on top of object X without jamming due to upward yielding of member 65 about pivotal connection 67 against the bias of spring 35 (see FIG. 6 showing member 65 so sprung back, i.e., swung counterclockwise on pivotal connection 67 relative to the carrier 63). This permits ejection of object X to be completed by slide 13, the object dropping out through the openings 15 and 7, and then member 65 is fully returned downward back to its FIG. 4 retracted position by spring 85. Without the yielding of member 6:3, the mechanism might In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A change maker comprising a magazine for holding a stack of coins to be issued in change, said magazine having a lateral outlet, means for ejecting coins from the magazine by pushing them forward through the outlet, a blocking member normally occupying a retracted position at the outlet defining a normal height for the outlet, said blocking member when in retracted position being engageable by an object in the magazine of greater height than said normal outlet height, means mounting said blocking member to move forward and upward away from its retracted position upon engagement of said blocking memher by such an object being pushed forward by said ejecting means and biasing said blocking member to return to retracted position, said blocking member on such forward and upward movement being adapted to clear the object and then return to retracted position under its return bias, said mounting means also mounting said blocking memher to yield upward in the event of engagement of said blocking member with said object on return of the blocking member to retracted position, said mounting means comprising a carrier and a connection between said blocking member and carrier, the carrier being movable to move said connection forward and upward away from a retracted position to carry the blocking member forward and upward and away from retracted position, said connection permitting said blocking member to yield upward relative to said carrier, and spring means biasing said blocking member to move downward relative to said carrier.

2. A change maker comprising a magazine for holding a stack of coins to be issued in change, said magazine havin a lateral outlet, means for ejecting coins from the magazine by pushing them forward through the outlet, a blocking member normally occupying a retracted position at the outlet defining a normal height for the outlet, said blocking member when in retracted position being engageable by an object in the magazine of greater height than I) said normal outlet height, means mounting said blocking member to move forward and upward away from its retracted position upon engagement of said blocking member by such an object being pushed forward by said ejecting means and biasing said blocking member to return to retracted position, said blocking member on such forwand and upward movement being adapted, to clear the object and then return to retracted position under its return bias, said mounting means also mounting said blocking member to yield upward in the event of engagement of said blocking member with said object on return of the blocking member to retracted position, said mounting means comprising a yoke pivoted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to said magazine, said yoke extending forward from said axis, said blocking member comprising an arm pivoted in said yoke for swinging movement on a horizontal axis toward the forward end of said yoke with said arm extending rearward toward said outlet, said arm and yoke having interengageable parts limiting the downward swing of the arm relative to the yoke, spring means biasing said yoke to swing downward to a retracted position, and spring means lbiasingsaid arm to swing downward relative to said yoke.

3. Coin apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stack of coins, a stack support at the lower end of the magazine, said magazine having a lateral outlet and a slot extending upward from the outlet, an ejector slidable on said stack support for ejecting coins by'pushing them forward through said outlet, a blocking member having a coin abutment normally occupying a retracted position with said abutment in said slot defining a normal height for said outlet, said abutment then being engageable by an object in the magazine of greater height than said normal outlet height, means mounting said blocking memher to carry said abutment forward and upward away from retracted position upon engagement of said abutment by such an object being pushed forward by the slide and biasing said blocking member to return to retracted position, said abutment on such forward and upward movement being adapted to clear the object and then return to retracted position with the blocking member under its return bias, said mounting means also mount ing said blocking member to yield upward in the event of engagement of said abutment with said object on return of said blocking member to retracted position, said mounting means comprising a carrier and a connection between said blocking member and carrier, the carrier 4. Coin apparatus comprising a magazine for holding I a stack of coins, a stack support at the lower end of the magazine, said magazine having a lateral outlet and a slot extending upward from the outlet, an ejector slidable on said stack support for ejecting coins by pushing them forward through said outlet, a blocking member having a coin abutment normally occupying a retracted position with said abutment in said slot defining a normal height for said outlet, said abutment then being engageable by an object in the magazine of greater height than said normal outlet height, means mounting said blocking member to carry said abutment forward and upward from retracted position upon engagement of said abutment by such an object being pushed forward by the slide and biasing said blocking member to return to retracted position, said abutment on such forward and upward movement being adapted to clear the object and then return to retracted position with the blocking member under its return bias, said mounting means also mounting said blocking member to yield upward in the event of engagement of said abutment with said object on return of said blocking member toretracted position, said mounting means comprising a yoke pivoted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to said magazine, said yoke extending forward from said axis, said blocking member comprising an arm pivoted in said yoke for swinging movement on a horizontal axis toward the forward end of said yoke with said arm extending rearward toward said outlet, said coin abutment being constituted by a downwardly extending finger at the rearward end of said arm, said arm and yb ke having interengageable parts limiting the downward swing of the arm relative to the yoke, spring means biasing said yoke to swing downwardto a retracted position, and spring means interconnected between said yoke and arm biasing said arm to swing downward relative to said yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,290,429 Von Pein Jan. 7, 1919 

1. A CHANGE MAKER COMPRISING A MAGAZINE FOR HOLDING A STACK OF COINS TO BE ISSUED IN CHANGE, SAID MAGAZINE HAVING A LATERAL OUTLET, MEANS FOR EJECTING COINS FROM THE MAGAZINE BY PUSHING THEM FORWARD THROUGH THE OUTLET, A BLOCKING MEMBER NORMALLY OCCUPYING A RETRACTED POSITION AT THE OUTLET DEFINING A NORMAL HEIGHT FOR THE OUTLET, SAID BLOCKING MEMBER WHEN IN RETRACTED POSITION BEING ENGAGEABLE BY AN OBJECT IN THE MAGAZINE OF GREATER HEIGHT THAN SAID NORMAL OUTLET HEIGHT, MEANS MOUNTING SAID BLOCKING MEMBER TO MOVE FORWARD AND UPWARD AWAY FROM ITS RETRACTED POSITION UPON ENGAGEMENT OF SAID BLOCKING MEMBER BY SUCH AN OBJECT BEING PUSHED FORWARD BY SAID EJECTING MEANS AND BIASING SAID BLOCKING MEMBER TO RETURN TO RETRACTED POSITION, SAID BLOCKING MEMBER ON SUCH FORWARD AND UPWARD MOVEMENT BEING ADAPTED TO CLEAR THE OBJECT AND THEN RETURN TO RETRACTED POSITION UNDER ITS RETURN BIAS, SAID MOUNTING MEANS ALSO MOUNTING SAID BLOCKING MEMBER TO YIELD UPWARD IN THE EVENT OF ENGAGEMENT OF SAID BLOCKING MEMBER WITH SAID OBJECT ON RETURN OF THE BLOCK- 